


Vigilantism

by rose_gardens



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Character's Name Spelled as Jaeger, First Kiss, Identity Porn, Implied/Referenced Attempted Sexual Assault, M/M, Minor Injuries, Mutual Pining, POV First Person, Present Tense, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27383404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rose_gardens/pseuds/rose_gardens
Summary: Eren Jaeger is a highschool student leading a double-life as a superpowered vigilante. His best friend and crush, Armin, doesn't know that. When Armin gets in trouble and needs a superhero to rescue him, Eren has to keep his secret from the most observant person he knows.Written for Fall Eremin Week 2020 Day 3: Superhero AU
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager
Comments: 2
Kudos: 73





	Vigilantism

**Author's Note:**

> I had this whole superhero au planned out years ago, so when the prompts for eremin week dropped and this was one, I typed this up! It's very messy, but I wanted to get something out for eremin week.
> 
> I don't normally write in this perspective, but I felt like it fit the vibe.

It's midnight, I'm out past my curfew, and I'm running away from criminals with my best friend and maybe-crush in my arms.

Normally I would have fought the criminals that had cornered Armin. I would have beat those assholes into the ground. But Armin's hurt, and I wasn't thinking fast enough to stay behind and deal with them, so I'm running.

Said best friend is currently holding onto me for dear life while I carry him like a newlywed bride. If I lose my footing, I'll fall over with no chance of using my arms to keep us balanced, and Armin's leg will probably become even more broken than it already is.

"I - I think they had a car," Armin mumbles. He's still in shock, breathing raggedly and gripping my pleather shirt like a lifeline.

"They won't catch up," I respond. I'm mainly convincing myself of that. "Your house is nearby. I mean, your house _is_ nearby, isn't it?"

I feel like I should mention Armin doesn't know about my double life as a superhero.

It's for safety reasons, yeah, because what if Armin let slip my identity and some villain found out and hurt hurt my family? And I get that. But it sucks _ass_ that I have to keep this whole superhero thing from my best friend.

"Yeah," Armin responds. "But - my ankle. It's, uh-"

"Shh," I say. I don't want him to start panicking again. "I know first aid."

"You can... you have healing powers right?" Armin asks.

"Self healing," I respond.

"Oh."

He's silent for the next few minutes. I keep running, taking different turns to throw off those sickos who'd tried to hurt Armin.

"Down that street," Armin says shakily, pointing to his street.

"Yeah," I say. I move my arm to give him more support. He holds onto me closer.

I turn down that street, seeing Armin's house. I try and pretend I don't recognise it.

"That's my house there," Armin says. I nod and stop out in front of his house.

"Front door, or..."

"Hell no," Armin tells me. "I don't want to wake up my grandpa. He'll worry, and I'll have to explain everything. My bedroom window is unlocked."

I know which window belongs to Armin's room. It's down the driveway and on the side of the house. I carry him down until I find his window.

"I can't open it with you-"

I'm cut off, because Armin is opening the window himself. He lifts it up with some difficulty, but it's up, and I can lower him into his room. He grabs onto the frame, and waits for me to climb in.

Armin's room is messier than the last time I was here. Every surface is covered; Armin's walls have pinboards and posters and old sticky notes, his desk is covered in textbooks, and his bed has more pillows and cushions than anyone could possibly need.

"Sorry about the mess," he says, sitting on the bed, wincing as he puts pressure on his ankle. I rush to his side immediately, but he brushes me aside. Still, I sit down next to him and start untying his shoe.

He pulls his leg back, gasping as my hand brushes his ankle. I look up, and he shoots me an apologetic look.

"I've gotta get it off," I say, and Armin closes his eyes and clings onto the side of his bed. I don't mess around, deciding to pull it off quickly.

"Ah!" Armin exclaims. I drop the shoe on the ground. It falls and gives a soft 'thud' noise. "Thanks," he whispers.

I don't take off Armin's sock. It's an ankle sock, so I don't need to. I can see his ankle already. It's swollen and red, but not deformed or anything.

"Is it bad?" He asks. He looks over, worried.

I nod. "I mean, I don't know if it's broken," I say, seeing his expression turn terrified.

"Yeah," Armin says, nodding. "It doesn't feel broken. It didn't crack or anything when I fell."

"Okay," I say, and try to remember what the paramedics had taught us when they did a seminar at school. For not the first time, I curse my stupid healing powers.

"I think it needs compression," Armin answers for me. "And ice. There's some bandages under the bathroom sink, and a couple of ice packs in the freezer."

"I'll get it," I say, heading out the door. Then I remember that I'm not _Eren_ , his best friend, but _Atlas_ , the superpowered vigilante, and Atlas doesn't know Armin. I turn around. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Just down the hall," he says, piling a couple of pillows at the base of his bed, to prop up his foot.

"Thanks," I say, and go to the bathroom. I tread quietly, not wanting to wake up his grandfather. The old man doesn't need to worry about that.

I get the roll of bandages out of the sink cupboard, and go to the kitchen. The freezer is neatly organised, so finding an ice pack is easy. I grab a tea towel too, so he doesn't get any ice burns or anything.

"Hey," I say, pushing open his bedroom door. He's lying down, staring at his phone, with his hair spread out over the pillow under his head. He puts it down when I come in, and turns to face me. He doesn't look as freaked out now, which makes me feel a little better.

I show Armin the bandages and ice pack, and he sits up. "It hurts less now," he says. "Just a little."

"I have to bandage your leg," I say. I sit down on the bed and unroll the bandage. I hand the ice pack to Armin and he takes it, holding on as I wrap the bandage around his ankle. He winces, but I try to block it out. _The most important part is compression_ , I remember. I tie it tightly - but not too tight, I didn't want to cut off his circulation - and when I'm done, Armin gives me the ice pack and I put it on his ankle.

He sighs in relief, closing his eyes. With his ankle taken care of, I stand in place awkwardly. There's no reason for me to be here still, except to be around Armin. I'd love to stay with him, but realistically, I can't. It's past curfew anyway. I'll be in _so_ much trouble.

"I should go," I tell Armin. I head towards the window, before Armin interrupts me.

"Wait," he says, and I stop. I turn around. "Come back. I still need to thank you."

"It's just my job," I say, shrugging. "You know. Vigilantism."

Armin smiles, and shakes his head. He sits up a little, resting on the knee of his good leg. I take a step closer, suddenly being able to count every one of my heartbeats.

Armin lets out a soft sigh. "Thank you... _Atlas._ For bringing me back here. If you hadn't shown up in time, then..." He trails off, a grim look on his face. I'm right next to him now.

"I - I couldn't just let them hurt you," I say quietly. I can't look Armin in the face. Thinking about the men who'd tried to - to _hurt_ him makes my blood boil. I clench my fist.

Armin puts his hand on mine, and I relax instinctively. He reaches over, and puts his other hand to the side of my face.

My stomach does a flip. Armin's hands are cool against my skin. His fingers brush over the side of my mask, and his eyebrows furrow like he's confused. My heart races because Armin isn't allowed to know about my secret identity. His fingers move away from my mask, thankfully, and he angles my head to look down at him. He's smiling sadly. There's a look in his eyes - in his big, beautiful eyes - that makes me want to lean in and kiss his soft lips. I don't.

Because he leans up to kiss me instead.

I kiss him back, of course. It only lasts half a second, but it feels so much longer. Armin leans back, but he's still close, so close I can feel his breathing.

He has nice eyelashes. I've never noticed how nice his eyelashes are before. Hell, I've never been close enough to Armin to see his eyelashes before. Then it hits me that my _crush_ just kissed me - _no, he kissed Atlas,_ I think. It dampens my mood.

Armin smiles at me. "Thank you, Eren," he whispers.

I'm still giddy from the kiss, so it doesn't quite sink in that Armin called me by my name for a few seconds.

When I do realise, I stand up straight in shock. Armin drops his hand, a knowing smile on his face.

"I-" I stammer. I have no words. He - he knows. Armin knows about my secret identity.

"I knew it," Armin says with a tired laugh. "It is you, isn't it?"

"How did you know?" I rush out, finally able to say something.

"I mean, you do look and sound exactly the same," Armin says. He looks _excited_ , for some reason. "You're... well, it's kind of obvious." He plays with his hands, and looks away from me.

"Armin, you have to promise not to tell _anyone_ ," I say, making sure to say each word clearly. "It's serious. If some supervillain found out, they could hurt you-"

"I know, I know," he says, shaking his hands. "Does Mikasa know? Oh - is she-"

"Yes," I say quickly. "She's like me."

Not exactly like me - her powers involve super fast reflexes. She's just as well known in this city as I am. We work as a super team, most of the time. I don't normally go out as Atlas on my own.

"And your guardian, the one you didn't want me to meet. Does he have powers too?" Armin asks further.

"Yeah, Levi's like us too," I say. I don't say that he's the retired art thief turned vigilante known by newspapers as the Metz Whisperer, though.

"I can't believe..." He shakes his head in amazement. "I mean, I can believe. This won't leave the room, I promise."

I nod in understanding. I'm idle for a second, because there's something between us now. I want to kiss Armin again. I want to climb in bed next to him and hold him for the night. 

But it's nearly 1 AM now.

"I need to go," I say quietly. "Levi's gonna skin me alive for breaking curfew. I'd better get it over with now."

"I mean, you're already out," Armin suggests. "You could... stay overnight, and face his wrath in the morning?"

He gives a small smile, and I think about his offer. 

"Sorry," I say. "I think he'd worry too much."

"Oh. Well, I'll see you at school on Monday," Armin says. He looks disappointed, but tries to hide it. 

"Yeah," I say, and turn to the window to climb out. I look back one last time, and see Armin's half smile. 

My walk back home is not filled with fear of my guardian's punishment, but rather a giddy joy. I feel like I could _skip_ home.

I'm glad that Armin knows now, and I won't have to keep my identity a secret from him. I always hated having to do that.

I think I want to kiss him again sometime.


End file.
